Tech Hiring Expected to Rise in the Second Half of 2014

A sign of a strong job market, the number of candidates rejecting job offers has increased. Sixty-one percent of respondents said candidates are asking for more money, as compared to six months ago. Additionally, 59 percent of respondents said they have positions going unfilled because salary guidelines for the positions do not match candidate expectations.

Dice.com recently released findings from a hiring survey it completed from May 12 to May 16, 2014, focusing on human resource managers, recruiters and consulting and staffing companies who primarily hire or recruit technology pros.

According to the survey, hiring for technology professionals is moving full-steam ahead in the second half of 2014, with the majority of hiring managers (70 percent) intending to hire more technology professionals in the next six months, as compared to the first half of the year. That's a slight dip from year end, when 73 percent anticipated more hiring in the first half of the year, as compared to the number of hires to finish off 2013.

Technology professionals appear to be taking advantage of the positive job market, with pros more often waiting for the right position and the right pay. While one-third of corporate hiring managers said more technology professionals were leaving their current positions this year, that's down from 42 percent who experienced increased turnover in 2013. Additionally, 36 percent of hiring managers and recruiters said more tech candidates are rejecting offers, as compared to six months ago – with a clear majority (61 percent) saying that candidates are asking for more money, as compared to six months ago.

While the market is definitely benefiting IT personnel, it's creating frustration in the market; the majority of respondents (59 percent) noted that at least some positions are going unfilled based on salary guidelines for the job. A healthier recruiting environment puts upward pressure on compensation, not unlike what Dice saw in its annual salary survey, and all signs looks like that will continue in the months ahead.

"Employers have been dealing with a tight technology job market for four years. That said, just yesterday more than 7,500 U.S. technology professionals updated their resumes on Dice, signaling they are open for a change," said Shravan Goli, President of Dice.com. "If companies have to spend additional time wooing tech pros to close the deal, they should be as efficient as possible in putting the slate of candidates together."

Tech professionals with six to 10 years of experience (71 percent) fall into the hiring sweet spot for recruiters, followed by those with two to five years (59 percent). But newer entrants to the workforce shouldn't be deterred, with 20 percent of hiring managers saying they'll be adding entry-level positions, the highest since November 2011.

Further signaling a positive tech employment market, 79 percent of hiring managers said layoffs are unlikely in the next six months – the highest response since Dice began this survey in 2008.